This invention relates generally to drum beating apparatus, and more particularly to adjustment of such apparatus to selectively locate the foot pedal in relation to the beater being rotatably actuated.
Pedal units for rotatably rotating drum beaters or mallets typically include the following elements:
a) a base,
b) a pedal having rearward connection to the base, at a heel region, to accommodate pedal pivoting,
c) a pedestal unit carried by the base and spaced forwardly of said rearward connection, and a drum beater carried by the pedestal unit to be rotated in response to foot actuated pivoting of the pedal,
Considering the substantially different sizes of drummer""s shoes, there is need to accommodate such pedal units to such different shoe sizes, for comfort of the drummer. There is also need to achieve forward and rearward adjustment and/or pedal heel height adjustment, in order to achieve such desired accommodations, and also to adjust the angularity of the pedal relative to the base, for ease of foot actuation of the pedal.
It is a major object of the invention to provide adjustment apparatus and/or components to provide such desired accommodation in one or both of the modes referred to. Basically, the adjustable pedal unit of the invention includes, in combination with the above referenced elements, an adjustment on the base whereby the relative positioning as between the pedestal and the pedal can be selectively adjusted. As will be seen, such adjustment is preferably located forward of the pedal connection to the base, that connection typically being provided by a heel plate. Accordingly, that connection is not disturbed by such selective adjustment.
Another object is to provide the base to have two associated sections which are relatively movable, and wherein said adjustment is between said two sections. At least one fastener may be provided to extend in a slot in at least one of the base sections; and the base sections may extend in overlapping relation, spaced from the heel plate, whereby the fasteners may be adjusted to effect clamp together of the two sections in selectively adjusted positions.
As an alternative, the adjustment may be located between the pedestal unit and the base, and may include elements associated with the pedestal unit and the base. Such elements may include openings such as slots on at least one of the pedestal unit and the base, to receive a fastener or fasteners that clamp together the pedestal unit and base in selectively adjusted position.
A further object includes provision of a height adjustment to adjust the height of pedal rearward extent relative to the base. Such height adjustment preferably includes at least one removable plate positioned in stacked relation with a heel plate at the rearwardmost extent of the pedal. In this regard, the pedal may include forward and rearward sections, and the removable plate may be located between the base and the pedal rearward section. That section may itself comprise a heel plate to which the pedal forward section is pivotably connected to allow up and down pivoting of the pedal by the drummer""s foot or shoe. At least one removable fastener may be provided to attach the removable height adjustment plate between the pedal heel plate and the base.
A yet further object is to provide at least two relatively superimposed and removable plates positioned at locations proximate the base and said pedal rearward section. Such plates, and the heel plate, may have undulant interengagement surfaces to positively position them against sliding; and the various plates may have different thicknesses, permitting their selective use to achieve different pedal heel height selective adjustments.
The heel height adjustment or adjustments as described may be combined with the forward and rearward adjustment earlier referred to in order to very simply achieve a measure of universal adjustment, in the same pedal unit.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: